A marvellous coast
To the north of Santa Maria Navarrese the coast gets wilder and wilder, full of big rocks looking out on the sea or emerging from the water itself.
Amongst them, you should admire the very famous Faraglione delle Pedra Longa or Agugliastra, a sort of calcareous rock that gave the name to the territory of Ogliastra. The Baunei coast connects up with the wonderful Orosei Gulf, rich in inlets and hidden caves, falaises and small beaches of indescribable beauty.
Amongst the most interesting and suggestive beaches and coves, it is possible to visit the Cala Goloritzè, dominated by the spectacular Monte Caroddi or Aguglia, an enormous 100 metre high pinnacle, and the Cala Mariolu or Ispuligidenìe (so called by the inhabitants of Baunei), with a very transparent sea and enchanting blue reflexes. You can also visit the magic Cala Luna, completely immersed in the wildest nature, with white sand and an intense blue sea.
For its general charm all tourists love the beach so much. The cove is surrounded by a calcareous falaise with six huge caves that opens up to the beach and finishes to leave some room to the valley that has generated the sandy shore. A wonderful dune of sand and shingles links the walls of the caves to the imposing Su Masongiu big rock, that is spectacular for its big stones looking out on the sea and for the the very high Punta Lastroni. Just behind the sandy dune there is a very thick oleander wood that gets pink during the summer.
The most beautiful coves
If you proceed northwards, towards the near Cala Gonone village, in the Commune of Dorgali, you can visit the spectacular Cala Fuili, surmounted by an imposing falaise, the reign of people who practise free-climbing.
In addition, you can also reach the fantastic Bue Marino Coast, the natural habitat of the last specimen of the very rare monk seal. On the contrary, if you overtake, southwards, the fascinating imposing Bue Marino Caves, and the Cala Luna, you will find the spectacular Cala Sisine, consisting of a natural rocky small arch and surrounded by a homonymous thick wood and very high rocks looking out on the sea.
Southwards, you can also visit the beautiful Cala Biriola, placed at the base of the imposing Codula di Luna massif, from which it is possible to admire a wonderful unforgettable view on the Orosei Gulf and on the Ogliastra coast, as well. The high walls on the sandy shore give the place the appeareance of a big mountain, above all because of the presence of centuries-old carob and holm-oak woods.
On the contrary, the seafloors consist of small dunes of azure and green tiny shingles. Always going southwards, you can find the beautiful Cala Mariolu, consisting of two inlets separated by a white promontory looking out on a limpid blue sea, and the amazing Cala Goloritzè, with a magnificent pinnacle that dominates the beach, the ideal place for free-climbers, from which you can admire an exclusive landscape on the gulf.
In addition, you can keep on proceeding until you arrive at the extreme top of the Capo Monte Santu, where there are two small inlets that penetrate inside the mountains and are repaired by the north wind.